Strain sensing devices, such as strain gauges, are important sensors for testing and monitoring the reliability of functional mechanical structures such as but not limited to support beams or airplane wings. Conventionally, a strain gauge is packaged separately in a flexible form factor. For application, it is attached to the surface of the functional structure using special adhesives. This attachment procedure requires tedious surface preparation to guarantee that the strain gauge adheres well and the gap between the gauge and the functional structure is as small as possible. For some support materials, such as 3D-printed polyetherimide resin, or structures that have a curved surface, mounting a packaged strain gauge is even more difficult and thus prone to reliability issues. A conventional strain gauge is also made of either semiconductor or metal alloys. These materials do not have inherent mechanical flexibility so they are limited to certain strain levels. Thus, there is a need for a strain gauge and fabrication method that addresses these issues.